The Best Reviewed Books of the Month: October 2021

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A look at the month’s best reviewed crime novels, mysteries, and thrillers.

John le Carré, Silverview (Viking)

Silverview, the final completed novel by the master of spy fiction, John le Carré, arrives 10 months after his passing, like light from a dead star to illuminate nothing less than the slippery nature of truth and the very concept of loyalty … In many ways Silverview is a fitting conclusion to the long career of a writer who redefined an entire genre with the deceptive ease of pure genius … In this final work le Carré has lost none of what made him remarkable: here are characters operating at the very limits of their own endurance, confronting fundamental truths that have the disturbing quality of prophecy … The novel is exquisitely poised in the present moment, set in a flat Fenland scarred with relics of past conflicts, facing a sea that threatens to sweep all away … In this concise, tightly focused novel, every reference has weight …filled with joy in the resilience of the human spirit, and with love.

–Jane Casey (The Irish Times)

 

Val McDermid, 1979 (Atlantic Monthly Press) 

“… a remarkably vivid picture of the tabloid newsprint culture of 40 years ago … McDermid can do edge-of-seat suspense better than most novelists. But what really lingers in the mind is the world she has created in 1979, long before the internet and the end of the Cold War. Among other things, she reminds us how much newspapers mattered in those days … enjoy this excellent opener to what promises to be an outstanding series.”

–Andrew Taylor (The Spectator)

Helene Tursten, An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed (Soho Crime) 

“Tursten effectively juxtaposes a cozy, Agatha Christie–like tone against the often surprisingly dark nature of Maud’s recollections, which are rife with clever satirical jabs and delicious ironies. This absorbing dive into the mind of a ruthless pragmatist posing as a Swedish Miss Marple will please psychological-thriller fans, once they realize that Maud isn’t nearly as cozy as she looks.”

–Christine Tran (Booklist)

John Banville, April in Spain (Hanover Square Press)

“There is no clear distinction to be made between John Banville’s crime novels and his other fiction. There is the same elegant pacing, crafted prose and detailed examination of relationships—personal, social and political—that won him the Booker Prize … The book is not a mile-a-minute crime thriller. Banville calls the reader to take time, to savour the intricate descriptions of people and place … This is a slow-burning mystery, a love story and a study of the corruption and power of the Irish political elite—quite a lot to pack into one crime novel. Banville has achieved it with grace and poise.”

–Estelle Birdy (The Spectator)

Eric Rickstad, I Am Not Who You Think I Am (Blackstone)

“What an incredible, sad story. This is the kind of story that lingers long after you’ve finished reading. It’s dark and twisted, with no redemption for the characters. And yet, it is probably a more realistic ending than the ones we normally read about. Secrets and lies damage all those involved, seen very clearly in this story. If you enjoy dark, gritty thrillers, then I recommend you read this book. Just be warned that there are no happy endings here. If you dislike the reality of broken lives, this is not the book for you.”

–Christina Boswell (The Portland Review of Books)

Louise Penny and Hillary Rodham Clinton, State of Terror (Simon and Schuster/St. Martin’s Press)

“When politicians write novels, I usually try to avoid reviewing them … State of Terror is a big, turbocharged, breathtaking exception: It’s one of the best political thrillers I’ve ever read … what readers might hope for but not often get: a thriller that combines the firsthand, insider knowledge of a former Secretary of State with the writing skills of a master of suspense. Bonus feature: lots of wicked humor … (You might recall that Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, has written a couple of political thrillers with megabestselling author James Patterson. They’ve done yeoman work, but the ladies outshine them) … Every new discovery is more terrifying than the last, and what adds an extra layer of dread is that we know Clinton actually held this job. As each appalling detail emerged, I found myself wondering whether it had really happened … keeps up a relentless pace, with more twists and turns and cliffhangers than I could count. Yet unlike any other thriller character I can think of, Ellen doesn’t punch anyone or shoot anyone or throw anyone out of an airplane. With her, it’s all brain work.”

–Colette Bancroft (The Tampa Bay Times)

Anthony Horowitz, A Line to Kill (Harper)

“Like any good mystery, Anthony Horowitz’s A Line to Kill has a gripping story, quirky characters who might be devious or might be innocent, a twisty plot, an enigmatic detective and a memorable setting. But it also has something else: sly humor, most of it at the expense of the author … Horowitz (the real one) has a lot of fun with this book, dropping clues and red herrings, unraveling the story slowly, ending it — and then ending it again. Along the way he pokes fun at writers and readings and literary festivals and, most of all, at himself. Seriously, get in line for this one. It’s terrific.”

–Laurie Hertzel (The Star Tribune)

Maria Judite de Carvalho (transl. Margaret Jull Costa), Empty Wardrobe (Two Lines Press)

“… sharp … The story concludes with a startling outcome that serves as a critique of a society that only values women for their youth and beauty. It’s a bit didactic, but de Carvalho (1921–1998) complicates things with Manuela’s unreliable narration and internalized misogyny. This unearthed story leaves readers with much to chew on.”

–(Publishers Weekly)

Chris Hadfield, The Apollo Murders (Mulholland) 

Spectacular … His mastery of the details enables him to generate high levels of tension from just a description of a welding error, which cascades into something significant. This is an intelligent and surprising nail-biter.

–(Publishers Weekly)

L. Allison Heller, The Neighbor’s Secret (Flatiron)

“Heller excels at the complex characterization required to engage readers, resulting in a book that’s truly impossible to put down. The myriad anxieties her characters feel—fear for their children, their reputation, their community—are entirely relatable. A sense of dread and foreboding permeates the narrative … With such a wonderful buildup and a truly surprising finish, The Neighbor’s Secret is a delight to read.”

–Elyse Discher (Bookpage)

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